NYC for the 4th

There was a part of me that was excited to spend the 4th of July in Miami and see what it was all about but when my work schedule lends itself to travel I have to take advantage.  And when Meghan said she and Sam both had the 4th off it was too good to be true.

I did everything I could have wanted to do yesterday too.  I got coffee from 9th St., followed by sitting in the park with Meghan and chatting/dog watching.

Once Sam woke up we wandered around the city looking for food.  After being turned away from our original destination we ended up at Bread which I had forgotten all about.  I used to eat at Bread almost every day when I worked at Simple around the corner, but I haven't been back since.  The food is just as good as I remember.

After lunch we stopped at whole foods to pick up another of my favorite nyc things;

source

and headed back to one of my favorite places:

for one of my favorite activities:

As the sun started to fade we made our way to the party for the evening.  Suzannah's instructions were, "the doors are open, just come on in" so that's what we did.  But the apt we entered didn't seem to have much of a party going on.

Apparently because it wasn't the apt throwing the party.  That's right, this is just somebody random's apt in NYC that they leave completely open.  We literally walked in off the street without buzzing anybody, got in the elevator, pressed "P" for the penthouse, and walked right in.  Once we realized we were in a strangers apartment Meghan made us leave quickly, but I had to snap a picture before we did.

Having seen the penthouse I was disappointed to not be able to party there.  I figured the apt hosting the party would probably be more modest in comparison.

I couldn't have been more wrong.  It was seriously one of the largest and most unexpectedly luxurious apartments I have ever been in.  We weren't really sure who at the party actually lived in the apt so I was hesitant to take too many pictures, but here are the two most important ones.  This was in the corner of one of the GIANT bedrooms:

Why?!  I want this!  It's so Mariah!!  Ugh, my envy knows no bounds.

And then if that wasn't crazy enough, when I asked where I could go to the bathroom I was directed to their powder room in the front entryway.  I figured it was going to be a modest closet sized bathroom. I was, again, incorrect.  It was really hard to take a picture that really shows how crazy the bathroom is but I did the best I could.

It was floor to ceiling mirrors on all four sides with all black furnishings.  Even the door to the bathroom was mirrored so once you closed it you were in the epicenter of your own infinite army stretching out in every direction.  And when I peed?  Oh it was glorious.  I could watch myself from literally every angle.  And who doesn't want to do that?!

The only downside to the apt was that we didn't have any kind of view of the fireworks.  At first I thought this was our only outside view:

Until Meghan finally invited me up to the roof which had a pretty incredible view of Union Square.

We could hear the fireworks, and even sometimes see them in the reflections of the windows, but it was mostly just a tease.

At least the skyline provides enough twinkling lights to satisfy.  And we even left with enough time to catch a few of the fireworks from the view down 15th St.

Along with all the other stragglers who couldn't find their way to a better view.  We got home and I didn't even realize but Sam ordered a pizza from what I would say is the ideal place to order a pizza from, Lombardi's.  Not only is Lombardi's great because it's delicious and steeped in history, it's also another place that I used to eat at all the time when I worked at Simple.  And there's nothing better after a good buzz than some nostalgic pizza.  Isn't that how the saying goes?

I'm not even sure when we all went to sleep last night but it happened at some point.  And now I must prepare myself for another fun nyc day before I head back south tomorrow morning.  I'm going to go put my walking shoes on now!

on the good ship lollipop

My friend Toby came from new york for halloween weekend in ft. lauderdale, I'm sorry that my posting has been nonexistent.  If it's any consolation it's because I was doing things like spending the day on the boat pictured above, courtesy of friends of Toby.

I sent that picture to Meghan because I had heard it was snowing up north and I wanted somebody to be jealous, which she was.  I had to come clean though about the reality of the situation.  That picture has more camera tricks working for it than a barbara walters special.  This was more what a lot of the day was:

All of us huddled on the back deck watching the deluge.  It was a typical Florida day where the driving rain would start and stop at a moments notice so those of us foolhardy enough to keep going upstairs would then have to try and climb down the narrow slippery staircase as the waves and rain pelted us unmercifully.

Being inside had it's advantages too though.  Namely this handsome guy who, much to everyone's delight, shared the name Toby:

I also spent a good deal of my time inside perched on the edge of the couch so I could watch the horizon to keep from throwing up.  It's crazy how in the canals you notice how big the boat is by how little it is affected by other boats wake, but once you get out in to the ocean you're reminded of how insignificant you are as the waves toss you about.  One thing that was not tossed about by the waves however was this beautiful glass sculpture of a wave:

I spent most of my inside time here so I could see out the windows, but I would also watch that sculpture as the boat tipped from side to side and it never moved!!  Even when all of the drawers in the kitchen came flying out and everything crashed to the floor it still stayed right there.  That is craftsmanship right there.

But the trip wasn't all rain and roughness, there were grace periods, especially when we got down to Miami.

We even got to do one of my favorite nautical activities; making motorists wait.

As we cruised down the Intra Coastal and got deeper in to Miami proper I kept looking for the bad girls house but I never saw it.  I saw a couple that looked like it but I don't think it was it.  I also tried to be on the lookout for Rosie or Gloria but neither made an appearance.

We kind of just got to Miami when we had to turn and head back so I only got a glimpse of downtown proper.

Which was fine as the hosts of the afternoon had been more than generous already with their time and toys.  I just hope I get a chance to do it again.

Upon returning to Ft. Lauderdale there was little time to spare before we headed to a halloween party.  I felt bad that I wasn't dressed as anything but I was glad I went regardless.  I have seen more amazing houses in the past two days here than you'd believe.  And costumes!  So many good costumes, but I have no trouble naming my favorites.  Toby's friends Bill and Jed win the grand prize in my book:

Half of the amazingness of these costumes was how much joy it brought me when I would look at them and the other half was the joy on other people's faces when they would see them for the first time.  I mean really, I still can't get over how much I love these costumes.

Though I have to give credit to the runner up who was literally running around the party the whole night just being nice:

I want a doggy that I can dress up in costumes and have run around and smile at people.  And since that's pretty much all I've seen in Ft. Lauderdale the past two days I'd say I'm in the right place for it.

I'm not sure what's on the agenda for today.  It's overcast and rainy again, lame.  I guess it's time to wake up human Toby and figure it out.

Happy Halloween!  : )

haha this was on the radio

Unfortunately it was the original and not the Bette Midler version but it made me find this clip on youtube and I'm always glad after I've seen it.

How is this movie so good?  Somehow it seems a totally appropriate movie for Bette Middler and Kathy Najimy to have done but I'm always delighted to see a young Sarah Jessica Parker and a young Thora Birch.  It reminds me of the time I came face to face with Juliette Lewis but was too afraid to tell her how much I loved "Enough" because I thought she would think I was making fun of her.  But it's true, it's all true!

Similarly "Hocus Pocus" will always be one of my favorite movies.  I always really liked their mom and dad, I feel like they should have had bigger roles.  I love when Max comes home without shoes and the mom says, "must be some form of protest".

Speaking of Halloween, it's fast approaching.  I wonder what I should go as this year.  I wonder where I'll be.  Invitations?  Suggestions?

3:00pm, 4:00pm, 5:00pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm

Colin walked me back to Meghan's and we had grand intentions of doing fun things, but instead just sat on the couch talking which was lovely.  It was also overcast earlier in the day so I was trying to seek refuge, but as you can see here the sky had opened up again by three so I decided it was time to head back out in to the world.

By four we found ourselves in Union Square looking for food:

What we found was delicious sandwiches.  Nothing is a better chaser for a green juice lunch than a blt.  Mmmm, now my mouth is watering.

At this point Colin and I parted ways, he headed to his church, me headed to meet esha, and meghan at her work when she got out at five:

and even though I got THOROUGHLY chastised for sneaking these pictures of the McQueen exhibit I just couldn't resist because it was SO INCREDIBLY INCREDIBLE!!!

Pictures really don't do it justice.  I don't know how else to say it.  You really need to find your way here to see it for yourself before it goes away in August.

After our immersion in culture we found our way to Central Park for the six o'clock hour:

I really love this specific spot, I think because it's the entrance that I would have used the most when I first lived in the city.  I've also had many a good picnic on that hill.

Esha and Meghan and I walked through the park and enjoyed each others company before separating shortly before seven so Meghan could go feed the cat she is cat sitting for.  I was all excited to take a picture of this precious precious angel cat but when we arrived we found that the people had come home from vacation early, making for a very awkward exchange when we opened their front door.  I felt like the situation was weird enough without me asking if I could take a picture of their cat so unfortunately my seven o'clock picture is of the hallway outside their apt:

I feel like this happens every year.  I try really hard to be somewhere interesting at the top of the hour but inevitably there are one or two pictures of the most random and mundane thing.  Like the year we had to put the camera in the cheese case at the grocery store and take a picture of us with the sandwich artists making our lunch at noon.

So yeah, not exciting but that was 7:00 and by this point I was (and still am) EXHAUSTED.  But oh god, it was still daylight.  So bright!

I had to come back to the apt because I needed water and a change of shoes and to not be wandering around anymore so Meghan took me down to the Bette Midler garden for some H2O and evening conversation.  I thought I could make it to nine but surprisingly eight o'clock was the final hour of daylight, and I am pleased that I spent it in the garden that Bette built:

And I am secretly pleased that this day is FINALLY over.  Omg, talk about the longest day of the year.  It was like, really long.

So goodbye, enjoy, and I hope you all congratulate me tomorrow on my one year anniversary tomorrow.

10:00am

I can feel Bette's presence with me even now.

I'm still at Meghan's, enjoying the last of my coffee, waiting for my phone to charge a bit more.

Meghan told me that the spider plant I had given to her was dropping babies in to Bette Midler's garden so I've been trying to lean out and spy on them but I've yet to see any.  I may have to actually venture in to the garden to see them up close and personal.

OOH sam is awake now, time for a second trip to get coffee : )

i love her

I don't know if you watch the 4th hour of the Today show with Hoda and Kathy Lee but you should really start.

And today's episode was like a holiday gift.  Kathy Lee was out so it was Hoda and some guy that is sometimes on.  Apparently Meredith Vieira was hiding in the sidelines watching and they pulled her out to be on their show for a bit.

She is so funny!  I love her.  She reminds me of Goldie Hawn in the First Wives Club, specifically in scenes like when she doesn't know Diane Keaton's name or when she goes to Bette Midler's house for the first time and says, "it's so...real".

I love how you can just read Meredith's disdain all over her face.  I seriously die laughing every time I watch that clip of her talking about the yellow dress.

slacking off

source

I have been terrible lately!!  The past couple days I've felt like haven't been real.  I think I've been distracted by Halloween and the fact the the 31st marks another death nell towards my impending move and I still don't have any idea where I'm going or what I'm doing.

And as a result, you have to suffer, and that's just not fair.

Last night we watched Halloween II.  I had no idea that it was so graphic and scary, I thought it was going to be a romp down camp lane like nightmare on elm street is.  I was not prepared for him to kill the hooker by smashing her face in to a mirror over and over.  That's not really the kind of halloween movie I like.  The kind of halloween movie I like goes a little something like this:



True to form I fell asleep before midnight anyways so I didn't end up seeing more than like 20 minutes of Halloween II.  I feel that's all I really needed to see anyways.

I woke up to a very cold nyc this morning that is making me question if my barely there costume is going to turn out to be a mistake.  updates to follow.